Speaking of cleaning, one of the things that has surprised me as someone from the United States is Italian real estate listings. I enjoy looking at houses even if I'm not in the market for one right now. I find the lack of staging quite amusing. People will post photos of for-sale homes that are messy, piled high with junk, crazy colored walls, all sorts of things that make the home very unattractive. It's a very different approach from what I'm used to where listed homes are staged and photographed to look as enticing as possible.
In Italy, there are two types of apartments: those that are “furnished” and those that are “empty.” You must always specify, “I am looking for a furnished house,” if you want it that way.Those exist because they are usually reserved for people who work away from their real home. For example, students or civil servants, for example, professors. The rent of a furnished property can increase by 10-20% on average
Excellent information, Claire, thank you! We've had good experiences in Sicily so far for which we are grateful. We're currently in the U.S. and preparing to come back to Sicily. We have reserved a place to rent, and we're greatly looking forward to it. 💚 Blessings, ~ Carol Amato
That makes sense. I have never used the kitchen, and I don’t want to use the kitchen. I had a hard time explaining to the landlord, when I was renting an apartment temporarily during COVID why I don't need kitchen. So, I 100% approve of the Italian system.
Wow yes Claire, rubbish tax is cheap here Compared to council tax back home…..! No comparison. And where I live in Italy it works far better than council tax does for refuse which sometimes in the UK only collect certain things once per week. And you have massive bins. Here ours are manageable and the collection is each day a different refuse. If you don’t have composting equipment there is a communal bin within walking distance and that is collected every single day. For glass there is the glass bell next to the compost bin and you can dispose of whenever you want.
I am really enjoying your videos. I am reminded of when I lived in Sicily (stationed in Sigonella, lived in San Pietro Clarenza on the southern face of Etna). How is it you came to choose Palermo, say, over Catania or wherever else in Sicily). I visited Palermo years back and remember the cathedral at Monreale as stunning and the westward views at night from our next stop Erice as incredible.
Thank you! I chose Palermo because my boyfriend is from this city but also because I had spent pretty much every summer here and so I felt like I knew it well.
I have been living in more than ten different countries, with 20+ times rented and ended up owning a few properties around the world. This includes living in Milan and Verona (both times rented). In most countries, there is a basic legal structure to cover housing issues. Usually the legislation is meant to protect the tenant rather than the landlord which does complicate things. However in all countries, a few things apply. Contract is better to be detailed rather than general (e.g., specify exactly the condition of the property at the moment of moving in. This means quality of painting, floors, equipment etc). Usually the tenant is responsible for any damage that is not normal wear and tear in terms of the rental time. In Milan I was responsible to paint the flat after rental period. In Ireland, putting anything on the walls was forbidden (no holes etc) and taking other people to live there was specifically forbidden (in Dublin this is very common, indeed). In most countries, the law has general definition what problems should be covered by the tenant and which ones by the landlord. I recommend to clarify this specifically in the contract as well as the basic requirement to act to minimise damage. Different countries and landlords have a different ideas for general costs & condominium fees and utilities. Sometimes the default is to have them covered by the landlord, sometimes by tenant. Although this sounds trivial, it is not. I know some people who had serious difficulties to open a bank account in UK without utility fees on their name as banks often require to see them. To have a residence, sometimes you can apply even the hotel to issue you a certificate that you can use to have "an address". I have done it serveral times 🙂 It is true that Italy is quite unique in terms of "unfurnished" to mean without anything at all but obviously this should be obvious when you see the flat. You can always, of course, rent a furnished flat as well. Deposit is actually tricky thing for both parties. It is mainly there to protect the landlord from damage that is beyond normal wear and tear and/or tenants not paying their rent e.g., for the last month. Sadly there are cases where the deposits are very high due to people trying to cheat. As an example, I am very careful to rent my properties to some kinds of people or demand excessive deposit from them. I have complete no-go to rent to anybody with diplomatic passport from any country. Foreign students and similar are quite risky cases as well. Sometimes the landlords try to cheat, especially when the tenant to moves to another country by refusing to pay back the deposit.
I would hate to think about the cost of renting now in the UK, particularly London. With all other expenses on top you would have to be earning a very good salary. It would seem that you live to work!! Scary times. I'm sure Italy is a much better choice. Thank you 😊
Definitely different rules from here for rubbish tax. All we do is to register our residency and the Polizia Municipale comes to check that you live where you say and from then on all is done for you. You start receiving the rubbish tax with discounts if you opt for composting equipment which is free and that is it. You opt for the composting equipment when you collect the containers and bags for recycling. You get a letter with instructions where to go. It’s just 3 minutes away from where I live. I opted for not and get 15% discount. You can opt for thornier you have a garden or space on the ground with a little land. It could be that it depends where you live as to how this works. Maybe in a big city there is a rubbish office and in a small Comune the rubbish department is the office next door or in the next room. I have never had to go to the Comune except for registering residency and renewing an ID card which is by appointment and takes only 15 minutes. I have been 3 times in 16 years. In a city the best would be to register your residency and ask where the rubbish office is and what else has to be registered and where to register etc. i used to play a bit dumb when I first came to Italy and would excuse myself for being ignorant and I would ask for whatever had to be done after registering the residency. I made a point of it not be be left stranded and shocked if I missed anything that I had no idea had to be done. I sometimes spoke in an broad English accent When I first arrived and people were always very helpful. When I first arrived here the police didn’t come to check. That law came out a year after I arrived.
Not my experience at all and I've been renting in Italy off and on since 1978. ALWAYS had a kitchen, always found a sparkly clean place (heaven forbid that you would think an Italian dirty!), never had to leave a deposit! Can Palermo be so different. I've rented in Vicenza, Viterbo, Gaeta, Matera, etc.
I'm happy for you but also amazed at your experiences. You've never had to leave a deposit? For me that's personally unheard of both from my own experiences and from other Italian and non-Italian people I know. I would say you've been very, very lucky! This also extends to the condition of the home as well. I have also had an experience of renting a brand new, fitted and furnished apartment but that was a one-off. My current home was a shell. I think it all depends on where you are in Italy but rental homes are not normally good to go unless they are short-term lets (as they are usually holiday homes at other times of the year).
Hi Claire, part of my future plans is to rent in Italy. I am allowed 90 days on and 90 days off. So I would do 1 to 3 months at the longest. What would you suggest for these lengths of rental? Somebody suggested a family hotel in a region with food included. It wouldn't be in peak season as I can't stand the Summer heat. Any ideas would be good so I can live between the UK and Italy which is my dream. Thank you. Michael.
You could consider an airbnb rental for this period, especially in low season as a lot of airbnb homes are rented for longer periods during this time. The hotel is another option but it really depends where in Italy you are thinking of spending time. I would lean more towards an airbnb personally.
Is VAT charged on rental payments? Are utilities included in the rental payment? If not, does the lesser invoice you or do you need to register with the local authority and pay them direct?
Utilities are not normally included in the rental payment, unless specifically stated. As tenants there isn't an additional cost for the IVA which is the VAT equivalent here.
I like that! I want to control the furniture and appliances in my apartment. Question: I'm Italian American dual citizenship , my wife is not. I noticed the Italian consulate still has me as single in their computer system. Do you recommend i register my marriage with Italian consulate? Is it required for her to get Heath insurance when we retire there?
I would recommend that you register your marriage here. You'll need to look into the Health Insurance as it is also dependent on whether your wife will be working here.
Speaking of cleaning, one of the things that has surprised me as someone from the United States is Italian real estate listings. I enjoy looking at houses even if I'm not in the market for one right now. I find the lack of staging quite amusing. People will post photos of for-sale homes that are messy, piled high with junk, crazy colored walls, all sorts of things that make the home very unattractive. It's a very different approach from what I'm used to where listed homes are staged and photographed to look as enticing as possible.
Oh my goodness , yes! The photos of homes in the UK are also similar to your experience but here they are totally different!
In Italy, there are two types of apartments: those that are “furnished” and those that are “empty.” You must always specify, “I am looking for a furnished house,” if you want it that way.Those exist because they are usually reserved for people who work away from their real home. For example, students or civil servants, for example, professors. The rent of a furnished property can increase by 10-20% on average
Yes, often as well those homes are shared apartments too and not for a long term period.
Excellent information, Claire, thank you! We've had good experiences in Sicily so far for which we are grateful. We're currently in the U.S. and preparing to come back to Sicily. We have reserved a place to rent, and we're greatly looking forward to it. 💚 Blessings, ~ Carol Amato
Wonderful - Sicily awaits your return!
That makes sense. I have never used the kitchen, and I don’t want to use the kitchen. I had a hard time explaining to the landlord, when I was renting an apartment temporarily during COVID why I don't need kitchen. So, I 100% approve of the Italian system.
I'm glad it works for you!
A helpful summary of essentials when renting - thank you!
Thank you!
Absolutely brilliant and informative Claire lots of excellent advice thanks 👍
Thank you!
Wow yes Claire, rubbish tax is cheap here
Compared to council tax back home…..! No comparison. And where I live in Italy it works far better than council tax does for refuse which sometimes in the UK only collect certain things once per week. And you have massive bins. Here ours are manageable and the collection is each day a different refuse. If you don’t have composting equipment there is a communal bin within walking distance and that is collected every single day. For glass there is the glass bell next to the compost bin and you can dispose of whenever you want.
Yes - there is a difference.
Valuable information , Thank you Ms Britaly . Very thorough .
Thank you!
So helpful!! Thank you 🙏
Thank you!
I am really enjoying your videos. I am reminded of when I lived in Sicily (stationed in Sigonella, lived in San Pietro Clarenza on the southern face of Etna).
How is it you came to choose Palermo, say, over Catania or wherever else in Sicily).
I visited Palermo years back and remember the cathedral at Monreale as stunning and the westward views at night from our next stop Erice as incredible.
Thank you! I chose Palermo because my boyfriend is from this city but also because I had spent pretty much every summer here and so I felt like I knew it well.
I have been living in more than ten different countries, with 20+ times rented and ended up owning a few properties around the world. This includes living in Milan and Verona (both times rented).
In most countries, there is a basic legal structure to cover housing issues. Usually the legislation is meant to protect the tenant rather than the landlord which does complicate things.
However in all countries, a few things apply. Contract is better to be detailed rather than general (e.g., specify exactly the condition of the property at the moment of moving in. This means quality of painting, floors, equipment etc). Usually the tenant is responsible for any damage that is not normal wear and tear in terms of the rental time.
In Milan I was responsible to paint the flat after rental period. In Ireland, putting anything on the walls was forbidden (no holes etc) and taking other people to live there was specifically forbidden (in Dublin this is very common, indeed). In most countries, the law has general definition what problems should be covered by the tenant and which ones by the landlord. I recommend to clarify this specifically in the contract as well as the basic requirement to act to minimise damage.
Different countries and landlords have a different ideas for general costs & condominium fees and utilities. Sometimes the default is to have them covered by the landlord, sometimes by tenant.
Although this sounds trivial, it is not. I know some people who had serious difficulties to open a bank account in UK without utility fees on their name as banks often require to see them.
To have a residence, sometimes you can apply even the hotel to issue you a certificate that you can use to have "an address". I have done it serveral times 🙂
It is true that Italy is quite unique in terms of "unfurnished" to mean without anything at all but obviously this should be obvious when you see the flat. You can always, of course, rent a furnished flat as well.
Deposit is actually tricky thing for both parties. It is mainly there to protect the landlord from damage that is beyond normal wear and tear and/or tenants not paying their rent e.g., for the last month. Sadly there are cases where the deposits are very high due to people trying to cheat. As an example, I am very careful to rent my properties to some kinds of people or demand excessive deposit from them. I have complete no-go to rent to anybody with diplomatic passport from any country. Foreign students and similar are quite risky cases as well.
Sometimes the landlords try to cheat, especially when the tenant to moves to another country by refusing to pay back the deposit.
Thank you for sharing your insights and experiences!
I would hate to think about the cost of renting now in the UK, particularly London. With all other expenses on top you would have to be earning a very good salary. It would seem that you live to work!! Scary times. I'm sure Italy is a much better choice. Thank you 😊
Oh absolutely - the cost of rent in the UK is absurd!
Definitely different rules from here for rubbish tax. All we do is to register our residency and the Polizia Municipale comes to check that you live where you say and from then on all is done for you. You start receiving the rubbish tax with discounts if you opt for composting equipment which is free and that is it. You opt for the composting equipment when you collect the containers and bags for recycling. You get a letter with instructions where to go. It’s just 3 minutes away from where I live. I opted for not and get 15% discount. You can opt for thornier you have a garden or space on the ground with a little land.
It could be that it depends where you live as to how this works. Maybe in a big city there is a rubbish office and in a small Comune the rubbish department is the office next door or in the next room. I have never had to go to the Comune except for registering residency and renewing an ID card which is by appointment and takes only 15 minutes. I have been 3 times in 16 years. In a city the best would be to register your residency and ask where the rubbish office is and what else has to be registered and where to register etc. i used to play a bit dumb when I first came to Italy and would excuse myself for being ignorant and I would ask for whatever had to be done after registering the residency. I made a point of it not be be left stranded and shocked if I missed anything that I had no idea had to be done. I sometimes spoke in an broad English accent When I first arrived and people
were always very helpful. When I first arrived here the police didn’t come to check. That law came out a year after I arrived.
Thanks for sharing your insights - a classic example of how different things can be here!
Not my experience at all and I've been renting in Italy off and on since 1978. ALWAYS had a kitchen, always found a sparkly clean place (heaven forbid that you would think an Italian dirty!), never had to leave a deposit! Can Palermo be so different. I've rented in Vicenza, Viterbo, Gaeta, Matera, etc.
I'm happy for you but also amazed at your experiences. You've never had to leave a deposit? For me that's personally unheard of both from my own experiences and from other Italian and non-Italian people I know. I would say you've been very, very lucky! This also extends to the condition of the home as well. I have also had an experience of renting a brand new, fitted and furnished apartment but that was a one-off. My current home was a shell. I think it all depends on where you are in Italy but rental homes are not normally good to go unless they are short-term lets (as they are usually holiday homes at other times of the year).
Hi Claire, part of my future plans is to rent in Italy. I am allowed 90 days on and 90 days off. So I would do 1 to 3 months at the longest. What would you suggest for these lengths of rental? Somebody suggested a family hotel in a region with food included. It wouldn't be in peak season as I can't stand the Summer heat. Any ideas would be good so I can live between the UK and Italy which is my dream. Thank you. Michael.
You could consider an airbnb rental for this period, especially in low season as a lot of airbnb homes are rented for longer periods during this time. The hotel is another option but it really depends where in Italy you are thinking of spending time. I would lean more towards an airbnb personally.
Their "work" in showing you the home. Work? That fee should be paid by the landlord.
If I'm buying my own appliainces it better be damn cheap rent.
The rental cost really depends on where you are in Italy. The cost of homes here in Palermo is pretty reasonable.
Is VAT charged on rental payments? Are utilities included in the rental payment? If not, does the lesser invoice you or do you need to register with the local authority and pay them direct?
Utilities are not normally included in the rental payment, unless specifically stated. As tenants there isn't an additional cost for the IVA which is the VAT equivalent here.
I like that! I want to control the furniture and appliances in my apartment. Question: I'm Italian American dual citizenship , my wife is not. I noticed the Italian consulate still has me as single in their computer system. Do you recommend i register my marriage with Italian consulate? Is it required for her to get Heath insurance when we retire there?
I would recommend that you register your marriage here. You'll need to look into the Health Insurance as it is also dependent on whether your wife will be working here.
For the rubbish tax you said the cost could be a few hundred euros. But is that per month or year?
No for the year.
Îs a must to do rubbish taxes in first month?
You need to make sure you are registered with the TARI office - it all depends on the region as to the process but it's important to do.
Also getting your deposit back when you move out can be a challenge, or even impossible
Yes - this will depend very much on your landlord/agency.